244 DATE GROWING 



Fruit one and one-half to two inches long, about 

 one-half as wide, egg-shaped, tapering from near the 

 base to rounded apex; bright purplish maroon when 

 ripe, the colors very handsome. Flesh one to three 

 lines thick, becoming quite firm, the dark-colored 

 outer zone thicker than the white, central portion; 

 seed two-thirds to four-fifths as long as the fruit, 

 generally about two-fifths as wide as long, sometimes 

 with strongly developed wing-like ridges on sides, 

 ventral channel generally open, germ pore generally 

 near middle but sometimes almost at base; flavor 

 mediocre. Branches of fruit clusters cadmium orange. 

 Season about November 1. Not much esteemed by 

 natives; said to keep very well. 



A date of the same name, brought from the 

 Mzab, has done well in the United States, although 

 its keeping qualities are none too good. It is softer 

 than the preceding, and a little larger; apparently 

 there is not much difference between it and the 

 Ziban Hamraya. 



All three varieties seem related, and probably 

 several minor varieties of similar names* in Algeria 

 are also related to them. While not of first quality, 

 they will always have a certain amount of popularity 

 because of their coloring. 



Hasan Efendi, a man's name, probably that of 

 owner of the palm; a rare and commercially un- 



adjective; the masculine Ahmar is oftien found in conjunction with 

 date variety names. 



*e. g., the Hamraya of Al Arus (The Bridegroom), which is 

 sometimes called merely Hamraya, and from its description is about 

 like that from the Ziban; Hamra Misabeh, The Juicy Red, "a small 

 date with large seed; red, later turning black"; Hamra Bishri, 

 variously described as a soft or dry date; Ahmar bu Amar, etc. 



